Roller screen



May 6 l952 R. G. BRIDGES ROLLER SCREEN Filed Allg. 27. 1948 JNVENTOILROBERT GEORGE BRIDGES 'ygw, l y

AT TOENE Y 5 Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to roller screens and has for one of its objectsthe provision of improved means in a `roller screen installation forprotecting the screen against the elements when the same is rolled upwithin its housing but is connected with a window for withdrawal whenthe window is opened.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means in aroller screen installation for mounting the screen in a window opening,and for guiding the screen during its movement to and from a positionextending across a window opening.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of improvedmeans in a roller screen installation for connecting and disconnectingthe screen to the window.

Heretofore it has been common practice to support the spring woundroller screens within an elongated housing that in turn is secured tothe sill of the window fr-ame for a lower vertically slidable window, orto one or both of the jambs or vertical side frame members ofhorizontally slidable windows, or to the upper head piece of theframe'ior the upper one of a pair of vertically slidable windows.

While the present invention is adapted for use with sliding windows ofany of the above types, it will be shown as applied to only the lower ofa pair of vertically slidable windows because this is the usual and mostcommon structure.

A roller screen housing of the above type is formed with a slot incommon practice, which slot may open outwardly of the upper side of thehousing. rThe screen extends through this slot to its connection withthe window, which con nection is usually made with the lower side of thesash.

Heretofore little if any protection has been aiforded for the screen inthe housing. During wet and windy weather the window is usually closedand at that time rain and dirt have usually entered the housing throughthe upper slot resulting in damage to the screen, or at least, to itsappearance.

With the present invention, simple means is provided on the screen forsubstantially closing the slot when the window is closed, and fordeecting dirt and draining water away from the slot.

Also heretofore difficulty has been encountered in providing simple andeasily operated means for connecting and disconnecting the screen fromthe window frame. Inasmuch as the screen is outside the window, theconnecting and disconnecting of the same with the frame from Within thehouses has presented a problem.

With the present invention, the manipulation of the window by a personinside the room is all that is required. To secure one disconnectedscreen to the frame, it is only necessary to fully lower the window, andto disconnect the same and to sharply move the window to -a fully openposition. A resistance to such movement to fully open position isestablished at the nal inch of movement or fraction thereof when theWindow is moved to fully open position. In the normal opening of thewindow there is no effect on the screen, it will remain securelyfastened to the window, but a fairly sharp hard nal movement, willdisconnect the screen from the window.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in thedrawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an opened window withthe present invention installed thereon, which view is from the outsideof the window. A portion of the roller screen housing is broken away.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, partly broken in length, showingthe parting strips of this invention in the conventional sides of awindow frame where they have replaced the conventional solid strips.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the outer end of the rollerscreen showing the shield for the slot in the housing, and also showingthe means for securing the screen to the frame.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the upper end of one of theparting strips showing the stop for releasing the screen from the Windowframe.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the roller housing.

In detail the screen as illustrated herein is adapted to be secured tothe sill I of a window frame having opposed vertical sides 2, 3 and alintel or head piece 4. Upper sash 5 and lower sash 6 are adapted toreciprocablyslide vertically in the frame in the usual manner.

The side frame members 2, 3 is the conventional window structure, areformed with parallel opposed channels or grooves 'i in which solidparting strips are secured for guiding the upper and lower windows alongpaths adjacent each other.

In the present invention these parting strips alongside the lower windoware removed, and are substituted by elongated-generally tubular members8 that are rectangular in cross-section.

The opposed sides of said members are slotted engage with member 22 andsecurely but releasat 9 longitudinally thereof adjacent one of the ablyconnects screen I I to sash 6 through the adjoining sides of saidmember, and stops III are spring action of clip 28 on projection 21.When secured in the upper ends of these members 8, the window is raisedin the usual manner upward for apurpose to be later described. motion ofthe sash is prevented when extension The said slots 9 are adapted toreceive the ver- 34 contacts block I8 in which position the winticalmarginal portions of a screen II when said dow is substantially fullyopen and screen II covscreen is moved across the window opening. The ersthe window opening. screen Il is supported at the lower side of the Ifit is desired to disconnect the screen II from window opening on aspring wound roller I2 of l0 the sash 6 it is only necessary to move thewindow the usual type which automatically reminds the sharply to thefully open position and block I8, screen when tension in the screen isrelaxed. resisting the upward motion of strip 22, will cause The rollerI2 is positioned within an elongated the said strip to be released fromclip 28 allowing housing I3 which may be rigidly attached to the thespring roller I2 to return the screen to its sill I. End plates I4 ofthe housing I3 are prol5 contracted position with shield 25 coveringslot vided with holes I5 for securing the ends of roller I3. It shouldbe noted in this connection that lip I2 in the usual manner. 20 onhousing I3 besides serving to exclude rain Said elongated housing I3 issubstantially and dirt from slot 2| also serves as a guide upon squarein cross-section having a bottom I6, a top which screen I I may slidethus further preventing I'I, side walls I8 adjacent groove 'I and sidewall 20 the entrance of foreign material through slot 2i I9 remote fromsaid groove. The juncture be of top I'I under the impact of thecontracting tween top I'I and side wall I9 is preferably curved screen.and top I'I is provided with a vertically disposed Drain holes 36 may beprovided in housing I3 lip 28 for a purpose to be later described. Lip20 at the lower edge Of Side I9 t0 provide drainage and side wall I3 arespaced apart providing slot 25 for any water which may enter the housing2I through which the screen II is adapted to slide through slot 2I inthe event that screen II is when moved across the window opening. acrossthe window opening during a rain.

Secured to the free end of screen I'I is an elon- Sealing means (netshOWn), Sueh as rubber gated stiffener 22 (Fig. 4) having two opposedStrips may be provided between SaSheS 5, 6 t0 legs 23, 24 connectedtogether at their upper ends 30 eXelude insects and the like frOrnentering beand between which the screen II is secured, Leg tween saidsashes. Such structure is old and is 23 on the side of the screenadjacent the sash is not a Part 0f this inVeni'fiOnsubstantially at andleg 24 is curved outwardly Thus it can be seen that the presentinvention and downwardly at its lower end to form a shield is readili7.installed and requires n0 InOdiieaiiOn 25. This shield 25 is adapted tocover lip 20 on 35 of the conventional window other than one simhousing23 when the sash 6 is in its closed posiple removal of the parting stripas herein before tion thereby preventing rain, dirt or other foreigndeselibed Tubular guide 8 may be Conner/Jed t0 matter from entering slotI3. vertical window frames 2, 3 by means of screws Legs 23, 24 areprovided on their sides adjacent 3T (Fg- 2) and bOti/Oln i6 0f housingi3 may be the screen II with a plurality of longitudinally secured tothe sill I by means of screws 38, access extending projections 26, theprojections of leg being PrOVided Said SCreWS through drain 23 being instaggered relationship with respect to hOles 35- the projections on legs24, thereby frictionally I elailn securing the free end of screen I Iwithin stiiener 1- In a WindOW frame defining a WindOW Openstrip 22 whenthe said legs 23, 2-4 are thrust to- 45 ing and a pair 0f sashesreeipreeable in the Same wards each other with the screen H theredirection within said frame longitudinally of between. two opposed sidesof said frame, opposedly open- Alongitudinal arcuate projection 2'I isprovided ing channels formed in Said Opposed Sides beon the upper end ofleg 24 and is adapted to entween the paths of travel of said sashes,parting gage spring clips 28 which are secured to sash 8. 50 Strips inSaid Channels fOr guiding the said Sashes These clips, preferably two innumber have a nat past each other, Said parting Strips comprisingportion 29 which may be secured to sash 6 by any generally rectangulartubular members, the 0D- suitable means such as screws 30. Each clip 28POSed Sides 0f Said members eaeh being fOrrned curves outwardly anddownwardly from at porwith a longitudinally extending slot, a rollertion 29 as at 3| and then back upon itself as at 55 Soreenseoured at oneend to one of Said SaSheS 32 and then terminates in a straight portion33 and a spring roller secured to one end of said curving downwardly andoutwardly from said frame supporting the remainder of said screenportion 29. for rolling and unrolling the screen upon re- To allow eachend of the stiffener strip 22 to ciprocable movement of the sash towhich said enter the relatively narrow slot 9, projections 25. so oneend is secured, opposite marginal portions of 21 are removed adjacenteach end of said strip said screen being slidable within the said slotsand legs 23, 24 are compressed to form a relain said members upon saidmovement, and e tively slender extension 24 (Figs. 2, 5). stiifenersecured to one edge of said screen ex- As best seen in Fig. 5 a block I9positioned tending into said slots.

within the upper end of tubular guide 8 prevents 65 2. In a screeninstallation for the opening in upward motion of screen II beyond apredetera window frame in which a sash is reciprocably mined point byextensions 34 of member 22 slidable to and from one side of said frameand Block I8 may be secured within guide 8 by any which installationincludes a spring roller and suitable means such as rivets 35 and ispreferably screen windable thereon said roller being seformed of wood tomlnlmlze noise upon contact cured to said one side and said screenextending of said block with said extensions. across the window openingand the remote end of In operation, when one screen II is in its consaidscreen connected with the said sash, means tracted Iposition andprojection 25 of strip 22 is in for automatically connecting anddisconnecting contact with housing I3 and covering slot 2I, said screento said sash comprising a stiffener nward motion of the sash 6 causesclip 28 to strip secured to said remote end of said screen, a

spring clip secured to said sash at its end adjacent said screen, saidspring clip having a portion directed toward said screen, yieldablymovable towards and from said sash and to a position frictionallygripping said strip between said portion and said sash, an inclined cam'surface at the end of said portion facing said strip and engageablewith the latter for automatically causing said movement of said portion,and stops secured to said frame in the path or" said strip for limitingthe movement of the latter together with said sash away from saidhousing and for automatically pulling said strip from said clip whensaid sash and strip are forced beyond said stops.

3. In a screen installation including a spring roller and screenwindable thereon, said roller rotatably supported Within an elongatedhousing extending longitudinally thereof, a slot eX- tendinglongitudinally of said housing formed in one side thereof through whichone end of said screen may be withdrawn, said housing being secured tothe sill of a window opening, a bottom wall on said housing oppositesaid slot for supporting said housing on such sill, and drain openingsformed in one of the Walls of said housing along one of the edges ofsaid bottom, openings formed in said bottom Wall adjacent said drainopenings for reception of fastening elements to secure said housing tosaid sill, said drain openings providing access to said elements.

4. In a screen installation for the opening in a d window frame in whicha sash is reciprocably slidable to and from one side oi said frame whichwardly of said strip and directed over said one` side of said housingand said clip being formed with a projection directed toward said sashfor yieldably engaging said rst mentioned projection when said sash isagainst said one side.

ROBERT GEORGE BRIDGES.

REFERENCES CITED The followin'g references are of record in the i'ile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 98,601 Kimball Jan. 4, 1870618,824 Barr Feb. 7, 1899 829,041 Trainham Aug. 21, 1906 1,039,411 JonesSept. 24, 1912 1,222,137 Ricard Apr. 10, 1917 1,246,570 Edwards Nov. 13,1917 1,310,305 Smith July 15, 1919 1,833,745 Gralinski Nov. 24, 19312,235,295 Morgan Mar. 18, 1941

